Moore the merrier for Derby

By MARK TAYLOR

Last updated at 11:36 21 January 2007

Southend Utd 0 Derby County 1

Darren Moore is just about the No 1 expert when it comes to promotion to the Premiership, so it beggars belief that such an astute manager as Derby’s Billy Davies was happy to send him to Coventry last summer.

Another dominant defensive display from man mountain Moore at Southend helped Derby hit the summit of a division for the first time in nearly 11 years.

It also encouraged a player who has helped West Bromwich, twice, and Bradford reach the top flight to start dreaming of a fourth pass to a league which, from next season, will hand over £27million to the club finishing last.

Whatever fate now befalls Derby, though, their captain can feel justified in spurning Coventry, even when the implication of Davies approving the transfer was that his boss did not think much of him.

"I hope I’ve changed the gaffer’s opinion," said Moore, who threw about his bulky 32-year-old frame with great determination to defend Derby’s goal advantage in the face of a second-half Southend battering.

"I’ve always believed in my ability at this level and I kept the right attitude when Coventry wanted me. That’s all gone now and it’s great to see the relationship between me and this club start to grow.

Hopefully, everyone can see I’m giving everything for Derby.

"I feel I could do a job for them in the Premiership, but there’s still 51 points up for grabs and that’s why you won’t hear me shouting off about promotion."

Neither, claims Moore, has the prospect of leaving the Championship behind distracted a youthful side for whom transfer-window arrivals Stephen Pearson and David Jones, both midfielders, look well capable of bridging the class gap to the Premiership.

"We’re sitting on top of the league but, believe it or not, the young lads aren’t even talking about promotion,’ said Moore. ‘There’s a togetherness and a spirit about them which is refreshing."

Derby’s vim was too much for Southend early on and the Championship's bottom side were fortunate to reach the break just a goal down, Steve Howard scoring his 12th of the season with a diving header.

Before then, Gary Teale had finished feebly when clean through and Howard had rattled the right post. At 1-0, Craig Fagan and Moore flashed shots narrowly wide.

The pace of Jamal Campbell-Ryce posed the only significant problem to Derby, who were reduced at times to roughing up the winger.

Freddy Eastwood, whose return of one goal in the last 14 games has all but dashed his prospects of a Premiership move this month, also complained bitterly of being barged about by Moore.

Referee Iain Williamson infuriated Southend by turning a blind eye to the physical stuff, but Derby had their own gripe with the officials after manager Davies was sent to the stand on 55 minutes for straying on to the strip of grass surrounding the pitch.

Fussy fourth official Ian Bentley had continually warned Davies the area was off limits and later threatened to book exasperated Derby substitute Michael Johnson for warming up there.

"I said to him, 'You want to go and sit in your box and watch the game instead of barking about half a yard of grass'. He must have come 60 yards down the touchline to moan about half a yard. I’ve never seen anything like it," said Johnson.

Derby ended the game grateful for two heroic interventions from Marc Edworthy in the 73rd minute.

The right back stooped to clear Peter Clarke’s header off the line, then whisked the ball off Eastwood’s toe when the striker appeared to have a tap-in.

Howard, Fagan and Pearson went close to extending Derby’s lead on the break as Southend hurled everything forward.

"They could have scored a couple more to put it to bed, but we were always going to leave space because we needed to get back in the game," said Southend captain Kevin Maher. "We had a real go, but it just wouldn’t fall for us."

Southend will hope for better fortune when their application for a new stadium goes before the council on Wednesday.